Substrate processing system and method for supplying processing fluid

1. A substrate processing system comprising:

a substrate processing apparatus configured to process a substrate with a processing fluid;

a processing fluid supply apparatus configured to supply the processing fluid to the substrate processing apparatus; and

a controller configured to control an overall operation of the substrate processing system,

wherein the processing fluid supply apparatus includes:

a circulation line configured to circulate the processing fluid;

a gas supply line configured to supply the processing fluid to the circulation line;

a cooler provided in the circulation line and configured to cool the processing fluid;

a filter provided between the gas supply line and the cooler in the circulation line and configured to filter the processing fluid;

a pump provided at a downstream side of the cooler in the circulation line;

a branch line connected to a downstream side of the pump in the circulation line and configured to branch the processing fluid from a branch portion;

a first heater provided at a downstream side of the branch portion and configured to heat the processing fluid; and

a pressure regulator provided at a downstream side of the first heater in the circulation line and at an upstream side of the gas supply line and configured to depressurize the processing fluid;

a valve provided at a downstream side of the pressure regulator in the circulation line and at the upstream side of the gas supply line,

wherein the controller is programmed to:

control the gas supply line to supply a first gaseous-state processing fluid to the circulation line;

control the cooler to cool the first gaseous-state processing fluid to generate a liquid-state processing fluid;

control the first heater to heat the liquid-state processing fluid to generate a supercritical-state processing fluid;

control the pressure regulator to depressurize the supercritical-state processing fluid to generate a second gaseous-state processing fluid;

control the valve to merge the second gaseous-state processing fluid generated by the pressure regulator with the first gaseous-state processing fluid from the gas supply line to form a merged processing fluid in a gaseous-state, and then supply the merged processing fluid in the gaseous-state to the filter in the circulation line to filter the merged processing fluid.

2. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing fluid supply apparatus supplies the liquid-state processing fluid from the branch line to the substrate processing apparatus.

3. The substrate processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes:

a second heater configured to heat the liquid-state processing fluid thereby generating the supercritical-state processing fluid; and

a substrate processor configured to process the substrate with the supercritical-state processing fluid supplied from the second heater.

4. The substrate processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the supercritical-state processing fluid in the substrate processor is 90° C. or higher.

5. The substrate processing system according to claim 4 , wherein a temperature of the supercritical-state processing fluid generated by the second heater is higher than a temperature of the supercritical-state processing fluid in the substrate processor.

6. The substrate processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing fluid supply apparatus supplies the liquid-state processing fluid from the branch line to the substrate processing apparatus.

7. The substrate processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes:

a third heater configured to heat the liquid-state processing fluid thereby generating the supercritical-state processing fluid; and

a substrate processor configured to process the substrate with the supercritical-state processing fluid supplied from the third heater.

8. The substrate processing system according to claim 7 , wherein the supercritical-state processing fluid in the substrate processor is 90° C. or higher.

9. The substrate processing system according to claim 8 , wherein a temperature of the supercritical-state processing fluid generated by the third heater is higher than a temperature of the processing fluid in the substrate processor.

10. The substrate processing system according to claim 7 , wherein a temperature of the supercritical-state processing fluid generated by the third heater is higher than a temperature of the processing fluid in the substrate processor.

11. A method for supplying a processing fluid, the method comprising:

Providing the substrate processing system of claim 1

supplying the first gaseous-state processing fluid to the circulation line;

cooling the first gaseous-state processing fluid in the circulation line thereby generating the liquid-state processing fluid;

branching the liquid-state processing fluid from the circulation line to the branch line;

heating the liquid-state processing fluid in the circulation line thereby generating the supercritical-state processing fluid,

depressurizing the supercritical-state processing fluid to generate the second gaseous-state processing fluid;

merging the second gaseous-state processing fluid with the first gaseous-state processing fluid to form the merged processing fluid in a gaseous-state; and

filtering the merged processing fluid in the gaseous-state using the filter in the circulation line.